Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Living European With Dogs: Relaxing at Cafes, Inspiration from Paris

One thing we didn't realize here in Chicago is the enjoyment of leisurely sitting at a cafe, sipping on a well crafted beverage and having a good conversation. A and I would spend our weekends at a cafe, but this was only to do work and to sip on coffee so we could do more work. We were really confused in Paris when we saw many of the chairs facing one way at cafes. We realized that most Parisians go to cafes to drink, talk and people watch.

Eventually, we got the hang of just sitting at a cafe and enjoy a caffeinated beverage or hot chocolate and just enjoying the sight of people walking by.

When we got back, we decided to incorporate this into our weekend daily walks and this past weekend stopped by Caffe Streets for a relaxing reprieve, drinking well crafted beverages and conversing with the pooches.

Caffe Streets is a social coffee house without wifi, thus promoting the art of conversation. It has an incredibly well designed interior, that reminded us of Copenhagen, with ample outdoor seating, which is perfect for Chicago summers.

Mr. B knew he was going to be bored, so he brought one of his favorite stuffed bones along. Which came in handy when he needed a pillow, since there wasn't wifi to keep him entertained.

Poor Mr. B, Ms. M soon saw that this was a great idea and usurped his bone for her heavy head.

We tried that too, when we came back from France once. We made time to enjoy a croissant and coffee at some sidewalk bistro...it lasted about a week..BOLHope you can hang on to the feeling a bit longer!

Chicago, Paris... Who knew they could be so much alike? It's wonderful they allow dogs at the cafe. Not all patios are so welcomming here, even when they are completely outside. I need to seek out the few that are and try this myself.

I’ve enjoyed exploring your site! I too am a dog lover. I’m also a filmmaker at Columbia University in NYC and recently made a short romantic comedy about a guy who thinks his dog can talk. It’s called, "Dear Dog, I Love You", and it stars a very special rescued dog. We plan to use the finished product to raise support for shelters and the rescue process.

Because of your interest in the dog community, I wondered if you might do a post to your readers about my film. We've already shot the movie, but need some assistance with the post-production and therefore have started a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds.

This is a special film because it stars the up and coming dog actor Paul Newman. A few short years ago, Paul Newman was found tied and starved in an abandoned garage. He was rescued by Suzanne Fitch of Mid-Atlantic Basset Hound Rescue, where he was matched with his wonderful trainer and caretaker, Karen. Now Paul Newman is one of the smartest and most talented dogs I know.

Because of his amazing story, we think this is a great opportunity to draw attention to the animal rescue community. As mentioned above, once we finish our film, we hope to share it with shelters and the rescue community in hopes that some of the proceeds made from the film can help take care of dogs in need.

I understand if you don't do these sorts of things on your website, but would appreciate any little shout out you could give. Please let me know if you have any questions or if I can provide any further information for you.